Accurate toy air gun targets

Abstract

A toy air gun and in particular an improved air gun for generating vortex rings are described. The gun is designed so that the path along the axis of air motion from the rear of the gun to the air exit hole is optically transparent, and contains patterns normal to this axis that assist in accurate sighting. This allows targets to be directly sighted along the axis of air or vortex ring travel. Together with improvements to ensure purely axial air motion, this dramatically increases the aiming accuracy of this class of gun and makes it suitable for target-type activities. A screen with a cylindrically symmetric pattern of openings and aiming marks prevents solid objects placed inside the gun's barrel from being projected outwards, and assists in aiming the gun. An vented safety guard at the exit end of the gun prevents large pressures from developing in the event that the gun exit is blocked while preserving the vortex ring component to the airflow.

1. A toy air gun comprising:
 a cylindrical hollow barrel having a central axis and comprising:
 an open first end; 
 a second end having a transparent central portion; 
 a first section with a diameter adjacent to the open first end; and 
 a second section with a diameter adjacent to the second end; 
 
 a moveable member with a diameter less than the diameter of the second section of the barrel, fitted coaxially within the second section so that the moveable member is constrained to move axially along the barrel, and having a transparent central portion; and 
 an elastic element for biasing the moveable member towards the first end, coupled to the moveable member and the barrel such that when the moveable member is pulled back against the elastic element and released, the moveable member moves coaxially along the axis of the barrel to force air to travel forward and out the open end of the barrel, and 
 the entire length of the gun being transparent along the central axis, such that the transparent central portion of the second end of the barrel and the transparent central portion of the movable member forms a coaxial sight down the axis, allowing a user to aim the gun by sighting directly along the central axis of the gun barrel through the transparent central portion of the moveable member and the transparent central portion of the second end of the barrel. 
 
   
   
     2. The toy air gun of  claim 1 , wherein the moveable member is a piston. 
   
   
     3. The toy air gun of  claim 2 , wherein the piston is hollow. 
   
   
     4. The toy air gun of  claim 2 , wherein the piston is solid. 
   
   
     5. The toy gun of  claim 1 , further comprising guides in the second section of the barrel for guiding the moveable member to restrict rotational motion of the moveable member. 
   
   
     6. The toy gun of  claim 1 , further comprising a safety screen within in the barrel between the first end and the moveable member to prevent objects placed in the barrel from being displaced by the moveable member. 
   
   
     7. The toy gun of  claim 6 , wherein the safety screen has cross hairs along a center axis of the barrel. 
   
   
     8. The toy air gun of  claim 1 , further comprising a safety guard on the open first end of the barrel for preventing a build-up of pressure within the barrel if the open end is blocked that at the same time maximizes any vortex ring component of the air exiting when the barrel and guard are not blocked. 
   
   
     9. The toy air gun of  claim 1 , further comprising vent holes in the transparent central portion of the second end of the barrel. 
   
   
     10. The toy air gun of  claim 1 , further comprising vent holes in the barrel rearward of the moveable member. 
   
   
     11. The toy air gun of  claim 1 , wherein the diameter of the first section is greater than the diameter of the second section. 
   
   
     12. The toy air gun of  claim 1 , wherein the elastic means is an annular diaphragm having an inner opening surrounding the moveable member and an outer periphery sealed to an inner surface of the barrel. 
   
   
     13. The toy gun of  claim 1 ,wherein the elastic means is a spring. 
   
   
     14. The toy gun of  claim 1 , wherein the elastic means is a magnet. 
   
   
     15. The toy gun of  claim 1 , wherien the elastic means is an electromagnetic coil. 
   
   
     16. The toy air gun of  claim 1 , wherein the transparent central portion at the second end of the barrel has cross hairs along a center axis of the barrel. 
   
   
     17. The toy air gun of  claim 1 , wherein the transparent central portion of the moveable member has cross hairs along a center axis of the barrel. 
   
   
     18. The toy gun of  claim 1 , wherein the moveable member has a flat face. 
   
   
     19. The toy air gun of  claim 18 , wherein the flat face of the moveable member extends across a diameter of the barrel. 
   
   
     20. The toy gun of  claim 1 , further comprising an aperture containing member located adjacent to the open first end of the barrel, having an opening along the central axis of the barrel, for maximizing a vortex ring component of air exiting the barrel. 
   
   
     21. The toy gun of  claim 1 , further comprising a scent dispenser for dispensing a scent between the open first end and the second end of the barrel. 
   
   
     22. The toy gun of  claim 1 , further comprising eye rests coupled to the second end of the barrel. 
   
   
     23. The toy air gun of  claim 1 , further comprising a target having a vertical member and a base for receiving the vertical member, such that when the vertical member is struck by an air vortex ring from the toy air gun, the vertical member moves. 
   
   
     24. The target of  claim 23 , wherein the vertical member bends when struck by the air vortex ring. 
   
   
     25. The target of  claim 23 , wherein the vertical member rotates when struck by the air vortex ring. 
   
   
     26. The target of  claim 25 , wherein the vertical member rotates about a horizontal axis normal to the axis along which the air vortex ring moves. 
   
   
     27. The target of  claim 25 , wherein the rotation of the vertical member is about a central axis. 
   
   
     28. The target of  claim 25 , wherein the rotation of the vertical member is about a vertical axis. 
   
   
     29. The target of  claim 23 , wherein the vertical member is of a shape representing a profile of a human or animal. 
   
   
     30. The target of  claim 23 , wherein the vertical member is propeller shaped, fan blade shaped, pinwheel shaped, or “egg beater wind turbine” shaped.